An Unsinkable Ship?
You will not be likely to ever see me on a cruise ship. Every time someone mentions it, my mind veers
back to the phrase that was declared about the Titanic, “Even GOD couldn’t sink
this ship.” Need I say more? Over-confidence in the designs of man paves a
path to destruction. The tower of Babel
was also such an icon of man’s pride which ended up utterly destroyed. (Genesis 11)
So is this Ship of the Institutional Catholic Church what
the Lord was talking about when He said to Peter that the gates of hell itself
would not prevail against it … This Church with too many really human beings in
it… the good, the bad, the ugly? That is
a question that Practical Me asks Theological Me a lot lately.
Before my contemporary theologian friends begin to argue the
point, hear me out. The Lord intends
that His Bride, the Church, will be standing holy and spotless before Him on
the last day. This institutional thing
that is bellowing and belching at the seams as it chugs along is not that
Bride. It can’t be.
I don’t just propose, but I am actually saying: If you put your faith in an Institution, no
matter how well-intentioned, you are going to be disappointed. The Clergy Scandals are clear evidence of
that. And even as I pound this out on my
keyboard, the bishops meet in Germany to discuss whether or not certain moral
behaviors are unacceptable in the eyes of the Church. They must have misplaced their Bibles, and
their brains. Any change in moral code
that goes against the clear teaching of the apostolic church and the people of
God in Israel prior to that, is out of the question entirely. Think about it. IF … on the day that hell freezes over
completely … IF the Catholic Church were to go ahead and sanction that
behavior, then the seminaries will re-integrate with, you know, … and the
predators of young boys will be back in the saddle again. Beware, sheep.
Please. Put your
faith in the person of Christ. In the
God who is a Holy and Just God. In the
Spirit who brings about beautiful fruits in the lives of believers: love, joy, peace, chastity, patience,
kindness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians
5:22). In God, you will not be
disappointed. Everything else gets put
into perspective. Clarity and Truth
emerge. Strength to walk a better path
is given. That’s what I’m saying. The Hebrew Scriptures have a concept called “The
Remnant,” which refers to a group of faithful people that God keeps close when
all else is breaking loose. When culture
fails and religious establishment fails and the people of God are purified, He
Himself is with the remnant in the fire.
(Daniel 3:24)
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